Believe it or not, fall is around the corner, and the National Gallery Nights series is set to return with three event-packed evenings centered on themes suitable for the season.
The annual after-hours party series in the East Building of the National Gallery of Art will happen on the second Thursdays of September, October and November. Each event starts at 6 p.m.
You'll need to enter a ticket lottery (and win!) to enjoy a night at the museum.
During the September and October programs, the National Gallery will also hold outdoor activities in the 4th Street plaza in front of the East Building's main entrance. The outdoor events are free and open to all; no registration will be required.
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Light are, gelato, plus beer, wine and specialty cocktails will be available for purchase at the indoor and outdoor events.
🎫 How to get National Gallery Nights tickets
Tickets to National Gallery Nights in 2023 will be distributed through a lottery system (much like the one used for Jazz in the Garden). The lottery for registration will open during the week before each event's date, at noon on Monday.
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On the Friday before each event, lottery entrants will be notified whether or not they can register to attend.
The National Gallery of Art will notify all lottery entrants whether or not they were selected to register the Friday before each program. Additional passes for each evening will be available at the door on a first-come, first-served basis starting at 5:30 p.m. the day of the event.
"Additional passes will be available at the door—first come, first served—starting at 5:30 p.m.," the National Gallery said.
🎵 Block Party
📅 Sept. 14 (6-9 p.m.)
📍 National Gallery of Art East Building
💲 Free, registration will be required for indoor events
🎫 Ticket lottery opens Monday, Sept. 4, and closes Thursday, Sept. 7 at noon. Register online here.
The free, outdoor block party will feature dance and beatbox performances by The Missing Element.
If you win a ticket from the free lottery, you can head into the museum to find pop-up talks, artmaking stations and performances from Kennedy Center residents Ladies of Hip Hop Dance Collective, plus beats from DJ Bizzy and Little Bacon Bear.
🎃 Nightmare at the Museum
📅 Oct. 12 (6-9 p.m.)
📍 National Gallery of Art East Building
💲 Free, registration will be required for indoor events
🎫 Ticket lottery opens Monday, Oct. 2, and closes Thursday, Oct. 5 at noon. Register online here.
Kick off spooky season with a screening of the 1984 all-time classic "Ghostbusters" accompanied by a live remixed soundtrack by DJ 2-Tone at the 4th Street Plaza.
Inside the East Building, you will find a Halloween-themed dance party, DIY mask-making stations, and spooky art stories from museum staff and local experts.
🍂 Indigenous Futures
📅 Nov. 9 (6-9 p.m.)
📍 National Gallery of Art East Building
💲 Free, registration required
🎫 Ticket lottery opens Monday, Oct. 30, and closes Thursday, Nov. 2 at noon. Register online here.
November's event celebrates the gallery's exhibition, The Land Carries our Ancestors: Contemporary Art by Native Americans, which honors the impact of Native Americans across the country showcasing their perspectives on their history and traditions.
Dr. Elizabeth Rule, the author of Indigenous DC, designed the program that includes electro-soul music from Ya Tseen (the stage name of Nicholas Galanin, a member of the Tlingit and Unangax̂ communities), pop-up talks and DIY art opportunities.
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